Whole Body

There it was, my grandmother’s 1950s Singer Featherweight sewing machine, glaring at me. Its recently refurbished black frame shone with grease from the repairman’s rags. I wanted to sew, but at the same time, I really didn’t. I had put off fixing the machine for years. And now that the machine was usable, I kept…

If you’re a vegetarian, or thinking about becoming one, chances are you’ll be asked if you're getting enough protein. With the growing popularity of a protein-packed diet, you may already be asking yourself the same thing. According to the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, a vegetarian diet can meet your protein requirements and provide all…

It was an ordinary Friday afternoon and my phone vibrated quietly in its plastic case. My mom’s photo showed on the screen and I excitedly answered. That excitement quickly turned to dread as Mom asked if I was sitting down. She shakily delivered news that would rip a staggering tear through the tapestry that is…

I long to be a mother. I am a mother. I had an abortion. I experienced my abortion as an urgent, terrifying, and often beautiful initiation into the power of the feminine. As a woman free and whole unto myself, I saw I was responsible for this sword I carried: the choice to give life…

Who doesn’t love a fresh salad in summer? During the warmer months, I love to eat a vegan salad for lunch and save the hot meals for evening. It's really easy to make a tasty salad that’s full of energy and nutrition. I usually just take whatever veggies I have at home, then add a…

Unlike many yoga stories, mine did not begin by coming to the mat through a transformative or life-changing event. My life was humming along nicely, full of family, friends, and a sense of security. Truthfully, the only reason I went to my first yoga class was because of the promise of sweet potato fries and…

Many memoirs have covered the terrain of grief, but Nora McInerny Purmort’s does so with more sass, swearing, and style than most. For a book that chronicles the author’s experience losing her husband, father, and unborn baby all within two months, it’s a surprisingly funny and enjoyable read. (Which isn’t entirely surprising if you've read…

I’m thrilled, and a bit surprised, to report that I find great pleasure in brushing my teeth. As someone who fears the dentist and loathes the synthetic quality of most store-bought toothpastes, I never thought I’d become a dental hygiene enthusiast. But making my own toothpaste changed everything for me. Now there is pleasure, sensuality,…

My brain is in that mushy, fresh-out-of-ceremony state: I just spent four nights dancing under the full moon with 200 women from all over the world as a part of an ancient Mexica rite. We fasted, we prayed, we sang our hearts out. We were up all night freezing our tushes off and were up…

I first came across chai tea after a kundalini class at a San Francisco ashram. I instantly fell in love with it. The traditional recipe comes from the ancient Indian science of Ayurveda and uses five main spices: ginger, cinnamon, cloves, cardamom, and black pepper. Each ingredient carries beneficial properties—black pepper is considered a natural…

As I round the corner of my 39th week of pregnancy and realize that I’ve spent more than eight months in this unique and ever-changing state, I’m struck by just how much I’ve learned. Aside from all the books and well-meaning advice from friends and seasoned parents, I’ve found that pregnancy itself has been my…

The theme for this month’s practice series is INVOKING. This week’s practice is a full-body invocation, inviting goodness into the world with our movement. For me, this kind of movement is a prayer—it is a way for me to invite in whatever I most want to embody and bring into this world. It’s different each day—some…

The theme for this month’s practice series is INVOKING. Like many people, I resolved to give up New Year’s resolutions years ago. I got tired of what felt like arbitrarily trying to fix, change, and improve myself. And then I got introduced to sankalpa, the ancient yogic art of intention-setting. The idea has some overlap with…

The theme for this month’s practice series is WHOLENESS. Winter solstice is the longest night of the year, the time when darkness reigns supreme and the moon rules the sky. Throughout the ages, it has been a significant time of ritual, reflection, and renewal. Because we honor the darkness and give thanks for the coming light,…

I was mesmerized the first time I heard Indu Arora speak about yoga and Ayurveda. She came across like a caring friend, with her cheerful demeanor and colorful clothes. But she was also a sorceress with her words, synthesizing deep teachings into one-liners that felt so straightforward and accessible I almost didn’t notice the depth…

The theme for this month’s practice series is WHOLENESS. It’s easy to get spun out on activity with the holidays, but the simple act of breathing can connect us back to our inherent wholeness, even in the midst of this busy season. Wholeness emerges naturally when we pause to allow things to be just as they…

The season of chapped and dry lips is upon us. If you're like me, you have tubes of lip balm stashed in every bag and coat pocket, always ready for reapplication. A relevant concern for many these days is that some lip balms contain agents that are actually drying, like petroleum, as well as carcinogenic chemicals…

The theme for this month’s practice series is LETTING GO. It’s been an intense week for many people, on a personal and global level. However you're feeling, this week's practice invites you to give yourself a break from holding it all together, a moment to move your body and release. Allow yourself to feel what is present for…

The theme for this month’s practice series is LETTING GO. The things we hold onto metaphorically often have a way of showing up in our physical bodies too. For example, when I hold on tightly to a sense of control—rather than finding flow and trust—it manifests as tightness in my jaw. Daily stresses and anxieties often…

In my house, we drink fire cider every morning. At the first sign of a cold, we drink fire cider. The kids crinkle up their faces at the pungent taste, but now they actually look forward to it. So what is this mysterious brew? It’s a warming and energizing health tonic that is just as…

Restorative yoga can be a wonderful form of self-care. It can be a perfect introduction to yoga for a beginner and very calming for the seasoned yogi. In our busy lives, we don’t often invite ourselves to fully let go and relax. Deep relaxation is like a balm to the nervous system. It can switch…

As a recovering perfectionist, I have a tendency to be overly scheduled and then collapse in a heap on my couch, exhausted and depleted (and occasionally a bit anti-social). However, as a yoga teacher, I’m also aware of the little ways we can help soothe our systems and stay present, whether you’re stuck in traffic,…

The theme for this month’s practice is SLOWING DOWN. Last week we tuned into the wisdom of the body, slowing down enough to hear the subtle messages our bodies are always sending us. This week we turn our attention toward an activity we all participate in frequently: eating. What does mealtime look like for you? For many…

The theme for this month’s practice is SLOWING DOWN. This week we will turn inward in the spirit of the changing seasons to attune to the wisdom of the body. Our bodies are always sending us messages, yet we are often so busy or distracted that those messages have to get louder and louder before…

Growing up, my body felt like my despised enemy. It was slow, overweight, and the reason I was mercilessly outcast by my peers. My body became a place I never wanted to inhabit, which is a slippery slope. After anxiety, disordered eating, a sexual assault, and depression, I now realize how disconnected I was from…

For her junior prom, my daughter Katie selected a persimmon-colored, silky, draping, hugging dress. This launched a rather protracted discussion about—yes—underwear. "So," I casually commented one day, "when do you have some time so we can run out and get a slip and underwear to go with your dress?" I felt her freeze up….

When I was 29 years old, I jumped out of an airplane for the first time. Until then, my idea of an extreme sport had been jaywalking. But my sister had been trying to get me to do it for years, and since she was the women’s freestyle skydiving world champion nine years in a…

My fingers slide through the soft waves of my mother’s charcoal grey hair and she leans into my touch. I know her head by heart, and I massage her scalp before lightly scraping my nails over the sensitive skin. When I was a little girl I memorized the exact shape of her skull, the graceful…

I grew up in a household with a strong male (my father) who was abusive and dominated my mother. He had the power. She was powerless. This made a huge impact on me as a child, and I knew early on that I never wanted to be “weak” like I perceived my mother to be…

I am not a morning person. In high school, I even created a family rule that no one was allowed to talk to me the first half-hour of each morning, while I ate my breakfast in the dark. So years later, when a group of Ayurvedic students, using me as a practice client for their…

In this fourth and final part of our household detox series (find parts 1-3 here), we’ll look at personal care products and our beauty routines. Our skin is our largest organ, taking in anything we put on it, including cosmetics, facial scrubs, moisturizers, deodorants, and perfumes. In so doing, it is often the unwitting receiver…

Dear Anne, I’ve been a fan of yours for years, and your writings have helped sustain me in my own life journey. So I was confused to see your recent tweets making disparaging remarks about Caitlyn Jenner and her gender transition. In your Twitter apology, I noticed you primarily focused on transgender teenagers and their parents,…

In part 1 and part 2 we detoxed the kitchen and bathroom, taking stock of which products to toss, keep, or replace. In this segment we’ll explore the laundry room. Many of our clothes, if they’re not made from organic cotton or other organic materials like hemp or wool, can already be laced with pesticides…

This is an easy vegan spring bowl with simple flavors, beans, and greens. White beans are tossed in herbs and lightly roasted, while the rainbow chard is wilted with garlic and chili, fresh juicy tomatoes, and a generous sprinkling of pepita thyme rosemary nutritional yeast crumble, which tastes like parmesan. Add a dash of lemon…

In part one of our spring-detoxing series, we tackled the kitchen, looking at what everyday products might be harmful to our health. In part two, we’ll explore the bathroom. The bathroom is a big one, home to many sprays, soaks, goops, lotions, shampoos, and soaps. Many of these items go directly onto the skin, our…

In 2007, Suzanne Sterling joined with Seane Corn and Hala Khouri to create Off the Mat Into the World, a nonprofit aimed at bridging yoga and conscious activism, taking the fruits of practice out into the world. I first heard Sterling talk about these ideas at a workshop at the Minneapolis Yoga Conference. Inspired by that…

The theme for this month's Practice Series is CREATIVE SPARK. It’s finally springtime in the northern hemisphere, and life is bursting forth around us. It’s a powerful time of growth, creation, and creativity. This week’s seven-minute practice will help you connect to your own creative impulse to move and grow—sloughing off any heavy winter energy…

Frittata is the ultimate fast food. This fancy Italian omelette is about as quick and easy as a delicious, elegant meal can get. A frittata requires no special equipment or split-second timing, and it’s meant to be piled with heaps of seasonal vegetables. Plus, there are no real rules around the fillings, so you’re free…

Imagine a woman who is connected to the rhythm of moonbeams and rivers, who knows her body like the fish knows the tides and the primrose knows the night. Imagine a woman who welcomes change with a full heart, knowing that from one day to the next, she is never the same. This woman is…

Suzanne Sterling has recorded five solo albums and performed in front of thousands of people. She has a powerful, passionate voice that seems to channel some fierce goddess. She’s the kind of person you’d expect to be comfortable with her own voice. But it wasn’t always so. The 49-year-old knows firsthand the struggle of being…

When I was pregnant with my daughter, my husband and I decided to "detox" our home. We were concerned about the effects the chemicals in our household products might have on our baby, not to mention the effect they were probably having on us. About 12,500 industrial chemical ingredients are used in personal care products…